The nine NRL players under the most pressure in 2016

PRESSURE is a part of top line sport and what separates the best from the rest is the ability to execute under that pressure.

The true greats, the ones who live forever, they thrive under pressure that makes most sportspeople wilt.

Pressure can come from a big contract, a mistake in the past or a recent player transfer and we’ve named the nine NRL players who will be facing the most pressure in 2016.

Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
Nobody can dispute Tuivasa-Sheck’s ability or pedigree. Some of the things he did in 2015 didn’t seem believable even as they were happening with his speed, footwork and tackle breaking ability making him a natural choice for Dally M fullback of the year.

However, his move to the Warriors is fraught with complications and potential pitfalls. How will he adapt to playing outside the Roosters’ ultra professional and ultra disciplined setup? Can he combine well with Shaun Johnson, given they’re rather similar in style and skill set?

Talent usually wins out and every red-blooded football fan should be hoping the Tuivasa-Sheck-Johnson-Luke combination clicks instantly, but given how much the Warriors have put up to bring him home the stakes are exponentially high.

Aidan Sezer
The Raiders have very quietly put together a really nice squad for 2016, but whether they can improve on this year’s 10th placed finish comes down to Sezer. Canberra’s troubles with winning close matches were well documented this season and the kicking game, composure and organisational skills of Sezer should go a long way to arresting those troubles. While Sam Williams did some good things in his return to the national capital, Sezer is a class above and is the biggest free agent the Raiders have secured in some time. With Ricky Stuart coming off contract at season’s end, he’s bet the farm on Sezer.

James Maloney
The Roosters main attacking weapon since 2013 has been James Maloney and he’s been one of the best halves in the NRL for some time. He provides elite level playmaking and can consistently create points, which makes him a perfect pick up for the Sharks. Cronulla nearly made the top four in 2015 with the halves combination of Jeff Robson, who is solid enough but rarely inspires, and Jack Bird, who is better suited to the centres. With Maloney pulling the strings behind their excellent forward pack and with Valentine Holmes slotting in at fullback, a maiden premiership must be the goal for the men from the Shire.

Kieran Foran
Parramatta have had several busts in the recruiting department over the past decade, but they’ve never had a transfer quite like Foran. The Eels have bet every cent they have that Foran and Beau Scott are the men to turn them around — one can presume they’ve used the money they were saving in case Jarryd Hayne dropped out of the NFL — and given the disastrous end to the Chris Sandow era and their six-year playoff drought fans are hungry for hope. The tough and gritty Foran contract saga played out in a far more low key manner than Daly Cherry-Evans, but there’s every bit as much pressure on him in 2016.

Trent Hodkinson
In one of those strange scenarios that can only be thrown up by rugby league, the incumbent New South Wales Origin halfback, who was a year removed from a series win and a grand final appearance, was allowed to leave his club. Hodkinson was passed over for Moses Mbye at Canterbury and joins a Knights team fresh off a wooden spoon. What makes the move so risky, for both sides, is that Hodkinson rarely produced consistent football in his time with the Dogs. He had streaks here and there, but six years into his first grade career he’s never really hit the heights one would expect from a halfback with his resume. With the Knights in desperate need of a little inspiration and creativity, Hodkinson must find some manner of consistency.

Anthony Watmough
Anthony Watmough’s decline from bruising Origin forward in 2014 to big money bust in 2015 needed to be seen to be believed. The veteran didn’t just have a bad year in his first season in blue and gold, he was a downright liability. He crabbed across field throwing suicidal passes, he struggled with injuries all season that robbed him of much of his power and his decline was endemic of the malaise that engulfed the Eels throughout the tumultuous season. However, with a proper off-season (undoubtedly his first for many years) Watmough just might be able to squeeze out a few of the games that made him such a coveted signing. Given his pay packet, the Eels are sure hoping so.

Mitchell Pearce
James Maloney and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck were the two most damaging attacking players in the Roosters squad last season by any measurement you want to bring to the table. Rarely does a team lose one star, let alone two, and given the uncertainty over who will play fullback for the Chooks and the inexperience of the impressive Jackson Hastings, there is more pressure on Mitchell Pearce than ever before at club level. Pearce’s best seasons have come when he was partnering Todd Carney and Maloney in the halves — when he’s been forced to be the main playmaker he’s rarely starred. The capabilities of Pearce to dominate the attacking game will be the making of the Roosters in 2016.

Ben Hunt
It’s a damn shame that all anybody will remember about Ben Hunt in 2015 was his infamous drop in the grand final, but that’s the nature of the business. One of the best running halves in the competition, Hunt was one of the best in the competition all season and the scary part is that he can only get better as his combination with Darius Boyd and Anthony Milford continues to grow. However, can he recover psychologically from his grand final gaffe?

Daly Cherry-Evans
Daly Cherry-Evans makes more money than God and has a contract that runs until the Second Coming. As such, there’s a huge amount of pressure on him to deliver the goods and be the player the Sea Eagles need him to be in 2016. With the departure of Kieran Foran and the tremendous amount of player turnover at the Sea Eagles over the last two seasons — much of which was to accommodate Cherry-Evans — Trent Barrett will be praying to every God there is that his star halfback has the goods.

Pretty fair comments in all of those, however I'd suggest the players under most scrutiny will be $Forme & Bochocs, Eels fans, and board will be ropeable if Watnow performs in the same manner as he did in 2015, and if Forme isn't the second coming within 8-10 rounds then watch the Squeals fans implode on him.

Unless Manly fall off a cliff next season Barrett won't be under big pressure to hold onto his job. The Penn's know they will be an even bigger laughing stock than they already are if they sack Barrett after 12 months.

Unless Manly fall off a cliff next season Barrett won't be under big pressure to hold onto his job. The Penn's know they will be an even bigger laughing stock than they already are if they sack Barrett after 12 months.

Not sure why they are questioning whether RTS and Shaun Johnson will combine well for the Warriors. They seem to be ok together when playing for the Kiwis.

For my money, DCE and Foran are probably under the most pressure. Both now have high priced contracts in place and they'll be under pressure to justify the money they are getting. Personally I think DCE might be ok because our pack next year seems like an improvement on 2015, but Foz playing behind the Speels pack could be in for a tough time.

I said it before and I'll say it again. Choc didn't really play any different for the Speels this year than he did in his last 4 or 5 years with us. The difference was that while at Manly he had quality players around him who could and more often than not did make up for his mistakes. He doesn't have that at Parra-doesn't-matta so his mistakes and sideways running stand out like a sore thumb. Also his body is starting to show the wear and tear of a over a decade in first grade and rep footy where he played over 20 games a year in the back row.

I always thought the problem with Watmough at the eels was that he was now their Paul Gallen. Expected to do two hitups per set and be their forward leader. In reality (as others have stated) he's not that guy, for one he's surprisngly small and secondly he is ageing badly with injuries. He needs quality around him, and the eels can't afford 2 or 3 bad mistakes in playing the ball or throwing hospital passes.